FAQ

1. What types of programs are offered in Sociology?

The Department offers Honours, Major, General and Minor programs leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Students interested in any of these programs are urged to consult the Departmental Undergraduate Adviser as early as possible.

The Honours program is recommended for students planning to do graduate work in Sociology. The Major program permits students to pursue a variety of career options requiring baccalaureate-level training that require a specialization in Sociology. The General and Minor programs provide maximum flexibility in selection of courses in Sociology, but do not provide extensive coursework in methodology and theory. Students in the Major or Honours programs may also elect to add a concentration in either Health and Aging, or Social Justice and Social Change.

2. Do I declare my program in Sociology when I apply for admissions to UVIC?

No, all students must also complete 3 units of university-level English or Writing courses, with a GPA of 4.5 or better, before they are allowed to declare a program in Sociology. Visit the Advising Centre website for details.

3. What courses should I take to get started?

SOCI 100A and SOCI 100B are required for all programs and should normally be taken in the first year; they may be taken in any order, or concurrently. SOCI 210 and 211 are also required in all programs, and are normally taken in the second year.

4. I'm interested in the Honours program and plan on pursuing a graduate degree. What are the requirements?

Normally, the Honours program has the following requirements:

students apply for entry into the Honours Program at the end of their second year;
entry requires a GPA of at least 6.75 in Sociology courses completed and a GPA of at least 6.0 in all courses completed;
students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 6.0 to remain in the Honours Program.

Applications are made directly to the Departmental Honours Adviser. Note that students are strongly advised to take additional statistical courses (SOCI 471, SOCI 472) if they intend to pursue graduate studies in Sociology.

The Honours Program offers students the opportunity to write a Graduating Essay (SOCI 499) under the supervision of a faculty member. The essay is usually either a library-research based review of literature on a sociological topic, including analytical comments and suggestions for future research, or a report of a piece of empirical research.

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5. I am not a Sociology student but would like to take some third and fourth year level courses and it does not indicate any pre-requisites. Am I still allowed to take these courses?

Completion of SOCI 100A and SOCI 100B, or at least third-year standing with a GPA in the immediately preceding session of 6.5 or better.

Note: while SOCI 100A and SOCI 100B are not formal prerequisites for third and fourth-year students with a GPA of 6.5 or higher, all upper-level courses require at minimum a basic knowledge of sociological concepts; these courses are therefore strongly recommended for these students.

6. Does the department have a co-op program?

Yes, the department has a co-op program as part of the Co-operative Education Program in the Faculty of Social Sciences. This option provides students with an opportunity to combine their academic studies with four 4-month periods of paid employment in Sociology-related positions in the public, private or non-profit sectors.

7. What are the requirements for admissions into the co-op program?

Entry into the Sociology Co-op Program is open to full-time students (those taking 6 or more units per term) who are proceeding to an Honours or Major program offered by the Department. To be considered for admission to the Sociology Co-op Program, students must have completed, by the end of their second year, SOCI 100, 210 and 211 (or their equivalents) with a GPA of at least 5.0. In addition to these grade and course requirements, admission will be based on a student's interests and abilities.

Students interested in participating in the Co-op Program should normally apply at the beginning of their second year of studies. Applications must be submitted to the Social Sciences Co-op office by the advertised deadlines in September and January. The first work term will normally start eight months after the application deadline. Work terms will normally alternate with study terms thereafter.

To continue with the program, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 5.0 in Sociology and 5.0 overall. To graduate with a Co-operative Education designation, students must satisfactorily complete four work terms. Each work term is recorded on the student's official transcript of academic record (as COM, N or F). A student may withdraw from the Sociology Co-op Program and graduate with a Sociology BA degree without the Co-operative Education designation.

Work term credit by challenge is permitted in the Sociology Co-op Program. Further information concerning the Sociology Co-op Program may be obtained from the Department and from the Social Sciences Co-operative Education office.

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